I work with mostly single-branch libraries with less than 30 public computers. I also custom build all of the computers that go into the libraries. What we've found is that the DVD-ROM drives in the public computers almost never get used. So...I simply stopped putting them in the computers. Instead, we keep one or two external USB drives at the reference or circ desk and make it available for in-house check out to any patron that might need it. The library saves $20-$30 or so per computer plus a miniscule reduction on the annual electric bill as a feel-good bonus. I started suggesting this about two years ago and haven't had any complaints sent back my way yet.

It doesn't necessarily address your particular problem...but it's what my library clients have been doing.
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Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
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Full LAN/WAN consulting services -- Specialized in libraries and schools

On 5/15/2012 5:35 PM, Gretchen Garcia - LIBRARY wrote:
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Reviving the old LibNT list! ;) For those of you who have deployed Windows 7 to the public desktop, what are you doing about Win7 being able to play DVD’s natively? We don’t allow DVD’s to be watched on public computers currently due to patron complains regarding R movies / racy movie scenes where children could possibly view the screen but we don’t see a way to kill this off short of either 1) disabling the DVD drive 2) disabling Windows Media Player. Neither which seem like good options to us….

 

So what do you do? Allow the movies to be able to play and deal with the problem customers as they arise? Kill access to one or the other? Found some 3rd party toy that disables it for you?

 

Thanks for your input! ;)

 

Thanks,

Gretchen Garcia

MCLD IT Services

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